Cannonball
by The Bonnie Pirate Lass
Summary: Song-fic, set to "Cannonball" by Damien Rice. Bootstrap Bill knows he's about to die. What's he thinking?


OOOOOH! ANOTHER SONG FIC!!! I dunno how many fics there are about Bootstrap... but since I love him, cuz he's the daddy of my Will *giggles and hugs Will*, I think I owe him some respect. So here it is.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own "Cannonball" by Damien Rice. I don't own the idea of Will's mother, but the person she is, and her attitude, it's all mine. I don't own Will, or Bootstrap, or Barbossa, or anyone from POTC. 'Cept the person playing Will's mother. That's Anne. Anne, say hello to the readers.

Anne: *Waves* 'Ello!!

Okies, now that thats all taken care of, read onward!!!

  
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_Still a little bit of your taste... in my mouth..._

still a little bit of you laced... with my doubt...

Still a little hard to say... what's going on...

The man grinned wickedly at Ole' Bootstrap Bill, his teeth decaying in his face, and a cutlass to his jugular. "Ye ready **now**, Bootstrap?" He sneered. The Turner man, made of tougher stuff than he let on, spit at the captains feet. "I was ready the moment ye threw Jack over." He glared spitefully at Barbossa, who glared right back, a smug, self-satisfied look on his face. "Too bad... would've liked to see ye named Captain when we commandeer our next ship..." Barbossa chuckled evilly, turning on his heels as he headed into his cabin. "Do with him what must be done, to ALL who try to betray their Captain! Let this be a lesson to ye!".

Bootstrap watched him walk away, and knew he would die for his loyalty to Jack Sparrow. He only regretted... everything. He was thrown into a memory as Barbossa slammed his cabin doors.

_Still a little bit of your ghost... your witness..._

Still a little bit of your face... I haven't kissed...

You step a little closer to me... so close, I cant't see what's going on...

"DAMN YE, BILL TURNER!! DAMN YE STRAIGHT TO THOSE BELOVED DEPTHS OF YERS!"

The tearful woman slammed the bedroom doors in Bootstraps face. He was a whole twelve years younger now, a few scars missing from his rugged face, his teeth a few shades whiter. He bounded after the woman, throwing the doors open to find her collapsed on their bed. "Anne, please... I'm comin' back!" She only sobbed into the bed. "Aye, of course! That's what ye always say!" she shouted into the straw mattress, her whole body shaking with sobs. He sighed softly. "Anne, please don't do this t'me... please... I'm beggin' ye..." She sat up, her eyes alive with venom and anger, passionate hatred. "Yer beggin'?! Yer beggin'?! Ye want t'go away and leave me here, for Lord knows how long, yer beggin' me t'let ye go?!" She snatched his hand up into her, pressing it against her swollen stomach. "What about that, huh!? What about the baby!?"

He sighed again, looking down, away from her eyes. He couldn't face her; he knew that she was right. He was only looking for another way to run away again. She nodded slowly, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks. "Exactly. That's exactly wot I was tellin' ye." She whispered, getting up, bustling into their meager kitchen as fast as her legs would allow her to go. She was going anywhere to not have to talk to him.

_Stones... taught me to fly..._

Love... taught me to lie...

Life... taught me to die...

And it's not hard to fall... 

when you float like a cannonball...

She refused to let him in the bedroom that night, she'd simply made herself a cup of tea and locked herself in. And so he sat outside the bedroom door the whole night, staring at the ceiling, leaning back against the wall. Bootstrap didn't see leaving as something he could choose not to do. There was no choice for him in this.

Some time around down, as his eyes were finally sliding closed, Anne opened the door, coming out, her eyes puffy and red from crying, her cheeks streaked with tears. "Oh, Bill, I'm so sorry... I don' want ye t'stay if ye'll hate me for it..." And she broke down in tears again, collapsing beside him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I just miss ye so bad when ye go..." She managed to choke out, and he nodded slowly, shushing her sobs. "Hush now, me mermaid... I'll be back... I promise..."

Some promises were not always meant to be kept. As the words escaped his mouth, he felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, and hugged her tighter.

_Still a little bit of your song... in my ear..._

Still a little bit of your words... I long to hear...

Step a little closer each day, still I can't say what's going on...

At the dock the next morning, Anne smiled at her husband one last time, not knowing it would be so. She never understood how she'd managed to tie a pirate down, and as she looked at him now, she couldn't help but cry again, happy tears mixed in with the sad.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "Shhh... ye can't keep cryin' like that, can't be doin' the baby no good." She nodded vigorously, wiping her eyes, and as if on cue, jumped. "Think she knows yer talkin' 'bout her, Bill." She smiled, pressing his hand to her stomach once more, and he smiled as well, at her hand on his, resting on her stomach. "Best raise me **boy** good while I'm gone, lovey..." He chuckled. She smirked. "She's a girl, an ye know it, Bill." He smiled, humoring her. "Aye, right she is." They shared a smile, shared a kiss, and then, he was gone.

_Stones... taught me to fly..._

Love... taught me to lie...

Life... taught me to die...

And it's not hard to fall... 

when you float like a cannonball...

Snapping out of his reverie, he felt strong arms grab him, and he looked out at the sea, wondering about his boy. He'd never see him, and he knew in his heart his son probably didn't want him anyway. But he'd always loved his son. No matter what, he did. He prayed the Aztec gold was safe around his neck, and sighed. "Guess yer goin' out with a bang, huh, Bootstrap!?" Pintel and Ragetti chuckled to themselves as the cannon was loaded.

Bootstrap swallowed hard, hearing his words echo over and over in his head before the cannon went off.

_"Hush now, me mermaid... I'll be back... I promise..."_

Barbossa smiled coldly as the cannons sounded from outside his cabin, and a loud splash was heard.

  
Twelve years old, the world in his hands, Will Turner, leaned against the bow of the ship he was sailing on, staring down at the medallion his father had sent him.

He missed him now.

_Stones... taught me to fly..._

Love... just taught me to cry...

So come on, courage... teach me to be shy...

And it's not hard to fall...

And I don't wanna scare her...

And it's not hard to fall... 

And I don't wanna lose her...

And it's not hard to grow...

when you know that you just don't know...

  
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Well?! Was that ok?! I won't be continuing this, its just a short, one chapter sort of thingie. But I thought that Bootstrap needed something of his own. Hope this was ok, guys!!! Luvs you all!! R/R!!! PLEASE!!!

_And when the wind hits my sails... I'm gone..._

**Bonnie Pirate Lass**


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